1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to reusable picks for playing stringed instruments that are attachable to the fingernail of a user.
2. Description of Related Art
Musicians who play non-bowed string instruments (i.e., guitar, banjo, ukulele, harp etc.) may utilize one or more of five primary techniques for playing these instruments: 1) picking with a hand-held plectrum or pick; 2) picking with the fingertip; 3) picking with a combination of the fingertip and the fingernail; 4) picking with a thimble-type fingerpick that is slid over the end of one or more fingers on the picking hand; and 5) picking with a ring-type pick that wraps around one or more fingers or the thumb as in a typical thumb pick.
While many beginning finger-style players frequently use the bare fingertip, most advanced players, particularly on instruments or in situations where more volume is needed, learn to add some “natural nail” into the activation of the string because it strengthens and brightens the sound, prevents the tone from being “muddy”, and in ensemble situations, allows the instrument to be heard when mixed with other instruments. However, musicians in the above mentioned situations are often plagued by broken or cracked fingernails. Several techniques and products have been introduced in response to these problems.
One such technique is nail strengthening that utilizes techniques that harden the nail. However, the problems associated with the nail hardening techniques include for example, the frequent, time consuming and costly application of chemicals and/or other ingredients; the difficulty of immediate repair of the nail if it is broken during a performance; the frequent filing of the nails in order to avoid the lack of continuity from one day to the next, in the exact shape, thickness, and size of the nail due to nail growth, accidental breakage, inaccurate and inconsistent filing; and the difficulty in applying products in the exact same manner in each application of the product.
Artificial nails are not suitable for musical performance because they are only suited for cosmetic purposes. Artificial nails are manufactured in accordance with size, shape and materials used, to be comfortable, simple to apply, and cosmetic. Therefore, the size, thickness and types of materials used for artificial nails are not suitable to withstand the rigors of musical performance without excessive breakage. In addition, artificial nails are also prone to wearing down, or coming off during a performance. Furthermore, the shape and materials used results in an unfavorable thin and “plastic-like” tone.
Although the use of fingerpicks reduce some of the problems associated with broken nails, these picks also have associated problems. For example, finger picks induce an uncomfortable and unnatural feeling, allow for striking of the string in only one direction, prevent substantial contact of the finger tip with the string, are difficult to learn to use, and, in the case of the most common thimble-type fingerpicks, require an unnatural and difficult clawing-type motion, as opposed to a simple and natural “rest stroke” motion, to activate the string of an instrument. Thimble-type picks, since they have no adhesive, require that the striking of the string also serves to push the thimble onto the finger, otherwise they would pop right off. Since this is true, the playing surface is angled upward which means that the picking motion requires curling the fingers almost all the way, similar to making a partially closed fist. This clawing type motion is very difficult to accomplish accurately and especially difficult to do quickly, unlike the “rest stroke” motion that is used in playing classical guitar where the rest stroke consists of a bending at the first knuckle which is much more natural and easy to do quickly. Additionally, such picks attached to the finger are not secure enough to stay in place during a performance of aggressive passages of music, have limited customizable options and are not compatible with advanced techniques such as “two hand tapping,” in which both hands are used to hammer notes directly on the fingerboard of the instrument.